Nic in Wellywood

Here is a round up of the dash through Wellington on a Sunday afternoon and a Thursday morning....

 through the clouds

 big things at Te Papa - whale

 and squid

 lying over the Catlins

 yes...

 the family train engine shot...

 top of the Cable Car

 it is amazing who you bump into sometimes...Catherine and I have also met once under the river in the subway in Melbourne...destined to find each other in odd places

 Cable Car

handing out the lollies...self appointed

Just finished reading #34

A week in December - Sebastian Faulks

I have never read Birdsong, the novel most of us associate Seb Faulks with but have been meaning to for about 20 years.  Instead I read his latest.  Set in London over one week in December 2007 it is one of those delicious books that has a whole range of stories (7) running through it that you know are going to collide somewhere but you are not entirely sure how.  We are a bit sure as almost everyone is linked through a dinner party guest list of a Tory party chap and his wife, Sophie.  I thought this was a little bit on the obvious side and perhaps a little transparent.  It seemed rushed at the end which made me think it was a bit contrived.  I really enjoyed the stories that intertwined - John Veals the hedge fund owner who I despised throughout the entire book and wanted to see get his just desserts but didn't was everything you would expect from a man in the cit;   Hassan the young man in search of heaven through a suicide bombing was interesting and likable and  I really enjoyed Jenni the Underground train driver and Farooq the pickle maker and so on.  I think all of the stories could be interesting in their own right.  I read the review of this in the Guardian and wondered if their reviewer and I had read the same book.  I always chuckle when that happens as it confirms my beleif that I am not a great reader although I just love it.   This book was a good meaty read although not quite the book I think Sebastian might have been aiming for.

Wairarapa

We are here, Nic and I, enjoying a shake free holiday hosted by our lovely cousins Gill and Andrew, Anika and Hazel.  I am feeling a little guilty for being away for another sizable shake but there you go.  I haven't brought my camera download cable so I don't have pics to share except one I am going to pinch off Gill.  It is fantastic living in this straw bale, eco friendly, eclectic and self sufficient home on a hill overlooking a spectacular valley. So calm and still.

Just finished reading #33

It has such a long time since I wrote a book review and that might indicate that I haven't been reading, however that is not the case, rather I have not been writing much.  Study and winter have really taken their toll on me this year.

Italian Shoes - Henning Mankell

Mankell writes a variety of stories and has himself a resident crime series with a chap called Kurt as his protagonist.  This is not one of these books.  Italian Shoes is about Fredrick, a doctor who lives in self composed exile on an island in the Swedish archipelago.  He has sent himself there for a life a solitude because one day as surgeon he made a big mistake.  At this point he thought it was a good idea to take himself out of circulation for the safety of others.  However, we all know he did it because he is not great at facing up to himself and his feelings etc.  Anyway, his ex love Harriet turns up on a walking frame, she is dying, and helps him confront or reconnect with his life.  No more details from me as the revelations are more enjoyable if you read them as you go.  It is written in the first person, at a perfect pace with the spare but descriptive writing of a confident and well respected writer.  Beautifully written. I love books set in cold place and islands so this is all just perfect for me.  Being a person who craves warmth and company I am not sure why I love these kinds of books but I just do. 

Earthquake humour

I am not saying this is funny at all, because we don't find earthquakes funny.  However, the sign on the end of this shelf at Lincoln University Library does make you have a little chuckle, in a kind and supportive way. 

Sign says...'Help us keep the library tidy.  Place books for reshelving on here'

The Society Inc

In the rain on the earthquake Saturday in Sydney I dragged my poor Jonty around the streets of Paddington looking for the shop of one of my design idols.  I was so excited to be there and so excited to meet Sibella Court whose books I have poured over many times.  It is in the reading pane to the right.  She is a very cool woman and I was a tiny bit blushing as I talked to her.  In the picture below you can see the items I bought from her shop.  Yes it is a piece of velvet ribbon, a little jar of paint and two turquoise glasses.  You can laugh, Jonty did.

This is too good not to share

Wow how times have changed.  Long gone is the angst and self discovery of our 20's, here is our reality and it is kinda funny.  I know you will all find something to chuckle about reading these.  Shared with me by my friend Alex.

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
2. Nothing annoys more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
7. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
8. Bad decisions make good stories.
9. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

Taking steps

Last night we hosted a dinner for our friends to help distract them from the state of their house and the fact that they are homeless.  They looked very tired and markedly thinner.  The worry and not knowing what their future holds is really impacting on them.  It was very nice to be able to do something vaguely useful for them, although you may think partying is inappropriate.  We all know that the warmth of others is what gets us through these kinds of things.  Also, some of us are very keen to start moving forward.  Acknowledging and grieving is important but the need to look forward and imagine the future is also a really important part of getting on.   I know that it will be a lot easier for those of us who have little damage and we all come to his at different times.  There are people in Christchurch, especially in some suburbs who are very bored and over it.  They obviously don't see what we see over here on the east. 

Anyway, I want to share with you the most delicious and simple recipe that is going to become a very standard production out of my kitchen.  Anyone who has had to sit and listen or read my blog will know that I LOVE Ray McVinnie and this another ode to him.  It is so simple, but don't laugh, you will love it.  Follow this link.  I am wondering about quince jelly as a possibility.mmmm.

Amazing

Chandalier Rescue - my friend Donna at work has posted this amazing set of pictures of the rescue of a chandalier that she saw yesterday.  The photos are all her work.  This would be my absolute favourite thing this week.

Sydney Eats

I hope you don't mind me not talking about the earthquake for a moment.  Although we were like traumatised zombies walking around Sydney in the weekend, we did have to eat and it is about all we did as we didnt fancy shopping not knowing what the future held.  Man, did we eat.  Memorable meals were scoffed at 'bills' one of the lovely Bill Grainger's restaurants.  I had written down the address and made poor Jonty trek up and down through Surry Hills to find it.  It was a very low key place but totally buzzing and the food was simple but perfect.  Service was fantastic...as I might say, was every single wait and serving person we met.  I was amazed at the lovely friendliness.

 Another memorable meal was at the suggestion of Sibella Court, a hero of mine, whom we met at her shop The Society Inc.  (I will do a separate post on her sometime.)We were a bit dazed and she said the best place to go and have a lovely afternoon was the North Bondi Italian.  It was gorgeous.  Very flash Sydney people meeting in large groups, the noise immense and the fooood just perfect.  Again the staff were fantastic.  We had arancini balls, squid, mussels and cheap Italian wine.  It was as windy as hell outside and we just drank in the warmth and atmosphere.  No one knew we were earthquake refugees and that was ok.

As bad as it gets

For us we suffered nothing in comparison to some people and these are the photos of our damage.  Stay tuned for more images as I get out and about today for work.  

This is my most loved possession and I am even ok about it being broken because my house is still standing.

Shaking

Holy Shit Batman....an EARTHQUAKE.  A big one and it happened here in little old Christchurch.  There are pockets of devastation and some people have lost everything.  However, most of us are fine and we are carrying on as normal.  Normal being after shocks every hour or so, working from home and sharing stories.

I have to admit I wasn't even here.  Jonty and I were on a romantic surprise weekend in Sydney.  Nic was with my parents in ChCh so had to be very brave and cope without his parents.   We landed at 12 last night and it was really windy and I have had a weird spinny head going on.

So we found out through an avalanche of texts and the tv in our hotel.  Iwas shaking and crying wondering what had happened to my family.  Quickly I was in touch with them all and they were fine but everyone has lost something.  Small things mostly.  Everyone who experience the quake is damaged in some way.  People are a bit dazed, others getting worn down by the aftershocks and coming to terms with the loss of their homes.

100,000 homes are damaged.   Our libraries are amazing with so few books falling off shelves.  Crazy.
I am heart broken to see the beautiful old buildings that we love demolished.  Our city really is never going to be the same again, for anyone.  It takes time to ponder that impact.

Thank you everyone for lovely messages of support.

Zumba

Oh yeah.  I finally got to a Zumba session and I loved it.  In a dark hall in a school in Christchurch women of all ages and sizes gathered to dance the night away.  With a flapping of bat wings and a jiggling of tummies everyone's inhibitions were set aside and away we went.   Not a midriff in sight. What fun.  I can say that I had trouble being loose, especially with my very damaged lower back but everything else worked fine.  Today my knee is a little sore as is my toe...new shoes me thinks.  Being an aerobics junkie in the 80s and 90s, Zumba was like a trip back to the mothership.  I noticed it was taking us all a bit of effort to loosen the hips but the spirit was strong and music fantastic.  Add that to the swimming and tennis in the weekend and I am feeling great, if not a little creaky.

thanks to free to air tv in nz

...I have been able to catch up on some dvd watching on a Saturday nights because the pickings are very slim, in fact you could say it was SHIT!  Week after week after week of crap weekend tv. 
Loved 'In Bruges'.  I have been meaning to watch that for ages.  It was sold as a comedy with amazing chases and a whole range of other bullshit.  Always pays not to believe the hype.  It was much much better than that.  It is a very dark comedy with a lot of things to think about and some very funny dwarf gags.  Not because I think it is funny to be a dwarf, more that Ray is a total dick and that Jimmy is very assertive and a cool guy.  Loved Colin Farrell and the irony of being sent to Bruges.  Funny and alarming, well worth a look.  Loved it. 

'An Education'.   Nice little flick set in the 60s that tells a very telling tale of the times with the conflict I am sure young women of the era found them selves in. There really was a crossroads to navigate and I wonder which way I would have gone.  Anyway, enjoyable film with some lovely clothes.

birds, bees, blossom and babies

Having been off my bike for one whole week due to poorliness, I was overjoyed to be back in the saddle on Thursday.  I do believe there was singing involved.  As I whizzed along the river I had to swerve for a tiny baby duck....yay SPRING!!  All is right with the world.  Blossom, bees and birds abound.  Sneezing and eye watering too.  Who cares...it's SPRING!!!  I have mentioned that already?

At the movies

Winter really is the best time to go to the movies.  I love the way movies are like a pause in a conversation.  You chat chat chat all the way there, sit - watch - listen and then away you go again, chat chat chatting.  Some films percolate some disappear instantly,  poof.  Anyway, I have been to a few lately and seen a couple of dvds.

In brief

Toy Story 3 in 3D.  not a big fan of 3D but I didn't let it get in the way of having a ripper of a time with this and might I say a little tear or two...and not in the bits that everyone else seemed to.  Yay Woody.

All we managed to get to in the Film Festival was the kids animation.  Great as always but some of those eastern Europeans are a bit on the odd side.  However, The Lost Thing was fabulous.
The Lost ThingAndrew Ruhemann, Shaun Tan/Australia 2010/15 mins
Pure magic. An utterly enchanting big screen adaptation of Shaun Tan’s book of the same name. The story of a young man who happens upon a friendly creature who just isn’t quite in the place it should be in.

And with Alex I saw two flicks... My one and only with that funny little woman called Renee Zellweger...nice looking film and sweet.  Very nicely filmed and put together.  The gorgeous girl interest in the film plays Alexis on 'Castle'.  I know that because I am obsessive about things like that and use IMDB as my movie bible.  The clothes, jewellery, hats and cars were all just delicious...

Eden is West had something delicious about it too.  Sadly it was not the story which was actually quite sad. About a gorgeous  North African illegal immigrant who ends up washing ashore in an exclusive beach club.  Eager to get to Paris he has many misadventures and heartaches along the way.  There are lots of light moments and it is again a very nice looking film but the end was a little bit annoying.  It did make me think about all those Afircan street peddlers and beggars you see in Paris and how you might be a bit wary of them but they are just people, desperate and a bit sad.

Blog Hibernation

What with the perishing winter weather and the insane speed of our computer I have been so unmotivated to spend time blogging this month.  Not that I have a lot of readers, but I do apologise for tardiness.  We have had some sun recently but it just seems not to be in the weekend, thus the requirement to sit inside by the fire.   Some weekends I have barely moved off the sofa.  Not great.  However, I have been doing some stuff like a lot of baking and making great meals out of my many dish and cuisine mags.  I have been to about three films, the art gallery with Nic's class, QEII for our first family swimming training session. And to top it off,  I went with Alex to see Ray Avery, New Zealander of the year, talk about his life and promote his book.  What an amazing man with a great story.  If you buy his book 'rebel with a cause' $16 goes towards his charity, which is a free one if you now what I mean?  No donated money goes towards running it.  Everyone gives their time for free.

Three interesting things I remember him saying - so far (I took notes)

• 'I have found my state of grace'
• 'Pure love [of his wife and child, especially child] has healed me'
• Inventors are observers.  Inventions seldom use elements that don't already exist, they are just used differently.  Inventors see a problem and go about fixing it.  They observe. 

And a very selfish note I have also read about 5 books that I haven't blogged either.  Let's hope this getting back on the bloggy horse will yield some more posts before the end of the month .

Dial Up!!!

Oh my God.  After a week of no Internet at home thanks to the monumental incompetence of Telstra we have gone out and bought a dial up modem (we will be sending you the bill Telstra), plus the bill for the 5+ hours Jonty has spent waiting on the 'help' line.  Yes, we use that term loosely.  NO HELP, NO EXPLANATIONS, NO ACTION.  We would move on but we don't want to change our email address.  However, like many,  I suspect we are going to move on very soon.   Haven't seen any Telstra business ads on the telly lately.  Imagine trying to run a modern business with no Internet.  And Dial Up sucks.
And for all those readers who want to say ..you are lucky to have broadband and a computer....blah blah blah,  that is not helpful or sensible.    Computers and technology are an expensive necessity in this world for a million reasons so it should be fixed!!!  This is not Africa or a remote tiny island in the middle of nowhere where one tiny generator runs the entire grid for the country.   Get your shit together Telstra.

Ok, rant over, for now.  Next post will be serene and full of loveliness, books, pictures, movies and sweet stories.    

Enjoy this picture... it took 4 minutes to add to the blog...phew

cosi fan tutti - sanctuary of sensory bliss

My favourite shop, a place where I can lose myself for many hours and come out not spending that much but wishing I have a blank cheque and a huge house.  I was allowed to sneak in there for a few moments on the way home from the beach today.  However, after what seemed like only a minute, Nic came in to ask if I was going to stay the night and would I like dad to go and get me a sleeping bag.  Cheeky.

's'been awhile

Can't say exactly why it has been so long since I last posted.  Life has been ok with little bits of busyness interspersed with mind numbing boredom and some work exhaustion.  Study is going well and I am on to my second paper.  We have been up to the snow and out to the beach.  Nic has done some cool stuff during the holidays and we have seen some movies and read heaps of books.  Sadly the cameras have all fallen at the hands of the small person and we have no or very few photos to share.  So, that's it really.  When I have a bit more energy I will jot down a few lines about some of the books and movies and dig up a few phone pics of our adventures.

why I love my son

Having spent a blissful Saturday morning in the mall and library with the boy I had a chance to reflect on how much and why I love him to bits...

• he loves clothes shopping and has a keen sense of style  (even though I think the real attraction is the locking mechanism on the change room door)
• he takes great interest in anything I am trying to buy, lipstick, clothes, shoes etc
• he asks great questions -' if a raisin wasn't a grape would it be a fruit?'
• in the middle of contemplative moments he offers to share his skills in counting ...'do you want me to count in doubles?'
• he sets little tests for me-with flash cards - 'how do you say hello in Maori to more than 3 people?'  with a little set of flash cards with stick figures on them.
• he sings like an angel
• of all the things he could have had for his morning tea at the mall today, he chose seaweed salad
• he still holds my hand when we are out and about...

...and so it goes on.  It is important for me to remember this on the not so great moments.

Other fun things I did today included shopping.  I haven't had the time or energy to do that much lately so today was pretty epic.  Although I went out to get boots for me and didn't get any I still ended up with great booty

• two pairs of pants for Nic from Pumpkin Patch...on sale
• lipstick, mascara and hand cream using beauty club vouchers (and some cash)
• two cds from Borders - REM (which it turns out we have - obviously a keen favorite), and kd lang
• a smiggle postcard pad
• fabric, lining, shoulder pads, thread and a pattern to make a winter coat.  Wow.  The last thing I sewed that wasn't a straight line was my bridesmaid dress for Karen's wedding
• and groceries to make a picnic for our trip to the snow tomorrow. 

I am not even going to look at the bank account.  No good can come of that.

Widget

I just added a new widget to my blog.  It is called SnapShot and you can see its little bluu icon thing sitting next to any links in my blog.  If you hover your mouse over the link you get a little snap shot of the front page of the link.  It is cute and sometimes a little annoying but if you are interested in any of the links I post or the 'Places I go' then it can give you a little taster before surfing off.

Latest Project

It is not often that I talk about work here but this week my latest project has hit the deck, literally.  Here is the new carpet scheme we cooked up for the Central library.  It has not gone without comment might I say but it is important to note that this is the first item in a reasonably substantial list of things to change and renew and revamp. 

It looks a bit dull in this photo but in real life it is pretty kick arse. 

I love it and our architect Al whose idea it was. Initially he presented another less pink scheme until I caught wind of the option and once shown it was a no brainer for me.  Who would have thought PINK would cause such a stir?  Only one thing would be worse than that and you know what it is ----that no one even noticed.

Cemetery Junction Part 2

Well, my friend Richard went to this film and he said it was so boring and so predictable and not to see it.  I had to share that with you to give myself some credibility as a not that great film reviewer who obviously doesn't get out much.  So, it might not be as good as I sold it. 

Cemetery Junction

Exciting post title, eh?  Thanks to The Press' Jonty and I attended the preview screening of a Cemetery Junction last night.  It is written by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and it is really sweet and funny. It is set in 1973 in a small town in reading and is about 3 guys on the verge of adulthood thinking about their futures.  There are a few cliches and some great 70's music and some really funny lines.  My favorite is 'there will be no jungle tits at the breakfast table'.  I did fall in love with Freddie, a little bit.  Not wanting to ruin things I wont tell you any more. 

It's all about stories

I have been a bit on the bored side lately.  Bored with myself really and in a spiral of boredom and not being able to find a way out of the bubble.  However, I, along with a big bunch of colleagues, have had the pleasure of spending time in the company of the Shanachie Tour Guys.  beside their three hour interactive presentation I also had the pleasure of sharing a few glasses of wine on Friday night and lunch today. This gave me time to think about the things they talked about and find some more questions.

Erik and Jaap are very relaxed and very cool.  They share stuff and ask questions and gather information about libraries and what people think about the future of libraries.  Then they show us what they are doing in Delft at the DOK library.  And that is what gets your heart racing.  For me it is not necessarily what they are doing but -describing libraries.  It is about the sustainability and relevance of libraries in the future and this is a question all self respecting libraries with a strong will to survive should be asking.  Now the real problem is bringing everyone else along for the ride.  Funders, elected members, teachers and leaders need to think about libraries in the context of the whole world and not just put us in a book box and leave us to die.  This is what I believe and have for a very long time and it is really nice to know there are others making this happen.

Now my brain is totally activated and there is no stopping me - well actually there is some stopping and that relates to the need to convince, consult and just wait and wait and wait for everyone to be on board.  I know I am not alone so perhaps some of our ideas in the holding pattern will come to life.

Last word.  The really cool thing about these guys is that they don't tell you what you should do but just what they do and then you can work out how that might happen in your environment.

And one more word....read this and then understand why we will always need libraries.  The Internet wont replace libraries.  We need democratic access to information, we need some order and we need a filter.  Who is going to do that?  Not Google, not the Chinese government, not your government.  Imagine all the worlds information being under the control of Google, advertisers and politicians.    Imagine...it is scary to do so.
p.s.  I love the Internet, don't get me wrong,  but it isn't the answer to every question.

A Single Man

Well, this was a treat on a cold Saturday evening.  Jonty and I dashed out for an early movie (home by 8.15) and drunk in the bloody gorgeousness of this film.  I am guessing it has not really been called gorgeous by many people but I thought it was.  Not gorgeous like a summer afternoon or a stunning rose bloom, more like a saturated intense visual delight.  I think I might be gushing.  What I love about films and life in general is that it really is a 'pick n mix'.  Whatever your soul requires is on the menu and you just need to pick the right thing for the right time.   You can read a synopsis anywhere so I wont bother.

Not wanting to lower the tone too much, but just wanted to say I think Colin is much more gorgeous the older he gets.  Turns out he is 19 days older than Jonty and he is pretty cute.  All the actors were fantastic and were perfectly cast.

  Thought Charley's bedroom was a visual symphony of style, gorgeous.

Had a few of these kinds of conversations myself over the years.  Julianne Moore is an enigma to me but she does share exactly the same colour hair as me and more freckles.

Just finished reading #32

Bruno chief of Police - Martin Walker

Lovely Bruno, what a sweetie, definitely the kind of chappie you would love to run into in a romantic French village.  Tennis player, kind, sweet, a little sexy and solving a murder crime on the side.  This is one of those 'nice' murder books.  Not Miss Marple but definitely not a 'hard boiled' affair.   However, some interesting French history and a bit of racial tension, some sexual tension and a little political tension.    It is a charming divergence on a wintery old weekend.  Not going to tell you any more.  Love that Bruno.

And to boot, a cute little blog to match.

Nic's SBS Mara-fun

Shame my photos bear little resemblance to a great effort and very exciting event this morning. Nic decided yesterday to take part in the kid's part of the SBS Christchurch Marathon and he did so well.  What a star.  My photos were really hard to take.  Soooo many people.  Anyway, you get the idea.

Preparation

lining up

Fuzzy boy on the right

Finish line, he is in there, really

Medal!!!

Banana stack